1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector with a locking member for both locking with a complementary connector and securing to a printed circuit board.
2. Description of Related Art
Complementary electrical connectors typically include dielectric housings respectively receiving a plurality of terminals or contacts which, when the connectors are mated, establish an electrical interconnection therebetween. The complementary connectors may be male and female connectors or plug and socket connectors for electrically connecting the terminals or contacts received therein. In some instances, the connectors have complementary latches for locking the connectors together when mated. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,445,534, 5,775,931, and 5,924,886 disclose different forms of latch structures to provide reliable mechanical connection therebetween.
On the other hand, the connector assembly is generally assembled to a substrate, such as a printed circuit board. Thus, one connector of the connector assembly is desirable to have a locking structure for securing the connector to a printed circuit board. It is common to incorporate into the electrical connector assembly a board-lock in order to anchor the connector assembly to the printed circuit board. Such locking structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,681,389, 5,820,393 and 6,123,580.
As stated above, the present problem people in the art confronts, is that an electrical connector may be required to have a latch structure for locking with a complementary connector and a locking structure for securing the connector to a printed circuit board. Under this situation, it is not convenient to directly add the latch structure and the lock structure, which makes the manufacturing of the connector complicated. There exists in the art an electrical connector known as a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (Serial ATA) connector which is generally used for disk drives and storage peripherals. Especially, the Serial ATA connectors according the Serial ATA standard are featured in fewer electrical contacts than other conventional electrical connectors and are relatively tiny in configurations, and it is more desirable for the Serial ATA connector to have a locking member for both positioning the connector on a printed circuit board and providing a reliable mechanical connection with a complementary connector.
Hence, an electrical connector with a locking member for both locking the connector with a complementary connector and securing the connector to a printed circuit board is required to overcome the disadvantages of the related art.
An object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with a locking member for both locking the connector with a complementary connector and securing the connector to a printed circuit board.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector with a locking member adapted to easily lock/release with/from a complementary connector.
In order to achieve the objects set forth, an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention includes a housing, a plurality of contacts mounted in the housing and a locking member. The housing has a base and a pair of mounting portions extending rearwardly from opposite ends of the base and each defining a lock receiving passage. The locking member is assembled to the housing and comprises a center beam abutting against a rib formed on the base, a pair of lock portions bent downwardly from opposite ends of the center beam and retained in the lock receiving passages, and a pair of side arms extending forwardly from the center beam. Each side arm has a hook at a front end thereof for being retained in a corresponding receiving hole of a complementary connector when mated. The lock portions extend out of the lock receiving passages for being inserted in appropriate holes of a printed circuit board where the connector is mounted.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.